132 Commerce St PO Box 620 Glastonbury, CT 06033 Ph. (860) 633-9691 President’s Message Dear Fellow Members, The holiday season always makes me a bit nostalgic for the good old days …when Christmas had little to do with running out on Thanksgiving night to fight the crowds for bargains and was more about the true reason for the season …preparing for the coming of the baby Jesus. Each year my mother would place the manger in an important place in our home …my siblings and I so fascinated by the shepherds and the three kings with their colorful robes…and the empty crib waiting for the Christ child. Each evening we would open another door on our Advent calendar as our father lit the candles on the Advent wreath, counting down the days until Christmas. How- ever you count down the days, I hope you find time for family and friends…and the true meaning of Christmas. This month’s newsletter is full of events for the holiday season. I sincerely hope you make an effort to come by and enjoy one or more of these events. Our club prospers when our members actively participate! On behalf of the Officers and Directors, I wish you a Happy Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year. Blessed be your holidays, cozy be your hearth. Merry be your family, peaceful be your hearts. Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain faoi Mhasie Daoibh! (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!) My best always, President Irish American Home Society Inc. DECEMBER NEWSLETTER DECEMBER ENTERTAINMENT Friday December 4th - The Mighty Ploughboys Friday December 11th - The Rising Friday December 18th - The Brennan Brothers Friday January 1st - Dually Noted PUB GRUB Dec. 4 th - Member's Christmas Party- No Pub Grub! Dec. 11th - Julie's Fabulous Shepard's Pie Dec. 18th -Fried Chicken Buffalo Wraps Dec. 25th -Merry Christmas from the Pub Grub Crew Next New Member screening: Tuesday, December, 8th @7pm. Next Monthly Meeting: Friday, December, 11th @ 8pm.
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132 Commerce St PO Box 620 Glastonbury, CT 06033 Ph. (860) 633-9691
President’s Message
Dear Fellow Members, The holiday season always makes me a bit nostalgic for the good old days…when Christmas had little to do with running out on Thanksgiving night to fight the crowds for bargains and was more about the true reason for the season…preparing for the coming of the baby Jesus. Each year my mother would place the manger in an important place in our home…my siblings and I so fascinated by the shepherds and the three kings with their colorful robes…and the empty crib waiting for the Christ child. Each evening we would open another door on our Advent calendar as our father lit the candles on the Advent wreath, counting down the days until Christmas. How-ever you count down the days, I hope you find time for family and friends…and the true meaning of Christmas. This month’s newsletter is full of events for the holiday season. I sincerely hope you make an effort to come by and enjoy one or more of these events. Our club prospers when our members actively participate! On behalf of the Officers and Directors, I wish you a Happy Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year.
Blessed be your holidays, cozy be your hearth. Merry be your family,
peaceful be your hearts.
Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain faoi Mhasie Daoibh! (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!)
My best always,
President
Irish American Home Society Inc.
DECEMBER NEWSLETTER
DECEMBER ENTERTAINMENT
Friday December 4th - The Mighty Ploughboys Friday December 11th - The Rising
Friday December 18th - The Brennan Brothers Friday January 1st - Dually Noted
PUB GRUB Dec. 4
th- Member's Christmas Party- No Pub Grub! Dec. 11th - Julie's Fabulous Shepard's Pie
Dec. 18th -Fried Chicken Buffalo Wraps Dec. 25th -Merry Christmas from the Pub Grub Crew
Next New Member screening: Tuesday, December, 8th @7pm. Next Monthly Meeting: Friday, December, 11th @ 8pm.
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MEMBER’S CHRISTMAS PARTY Please join your fellow members at our annual Mem-ber’s Christmas Party, on Friday, December 4th at 6:00 p.m. in the downstairs lounge. Enjoy a ham dinner with all the trimmings plus dessert. You must purchase a ticket in advance or make a reserva-tion…NO WALK-INS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Tick-ets are $5.00 for members and $10.00 for non-member guests (limit of one guest per member). You may make reservations and purchase your tickets at the bar or by contacting Maureen Kennedy (860)550-3126. You must call or purchase your tickets by Tuesday, December 1st. Adults only, please!
CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PARTY BREAKFAST WITH SANTA!
Our annual Breakfast with Santa will be held on Sunday, December 13th from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. We ask each child to bring a new, unwrapped toy for admission (please consider toys or gift cards for older children). There is a $5.00 charge for adults that wish to dine with their children (pancakes and sausage breakfast). A photographer will be on hand to capture your child’s moment with Santa. RESER-VATIONS ARE A MUST (we want to ensure we have enough crafts and food on hand). Reserva-tions can be made by contacting Sarah Moran at [email protected] or by calling the club at (860)633-9691. Please include the number of chil-dren attending, along with the number of adults at-tending that plan to dine with their children. If you need to reserve a table for your group, please note that, too.
WANTED: CHRISTMAS LOVING MEMBERS FOR
WREATH DECORATING PARTY We are looking for energetic happy Members to join us for a Wreath Decorating Party on Saturday, De-cember 5th. No Prior Crafting Experience Required! Lovers of all things Christmas preferred. All ages welcome. The more the merrier!! Starting at 9 am we will be assembling and hand-decorating the wreaths, swags and cemetery boxes to be sold at our Annual Christmas Shopping Day! Come for an hour or come for the day!! Christmas cookies, egg-nog and good cheer will be provided!! Bring your Santa Hat and join the fun!! Help to make this Club Fundraiser a success!! Any donations of fresh greens, holly and winterberry would be very much appreciated. For more information or to make ar-rangements for greens donations, please contact Eileen McGee at (860-550-3732) or [email protected].
STILL TIME TO RESERVE YOUR HOLIDAY WREATHS & CEMETERY BOXES
Eileen McGee is still taking orders for beautiful Christmas wreaths, swags, and cemetery boxes/crosses - in addition to centerpieces and unique ice skate hangings. Each creation is hand-crafted by fellow Club Members with fresh greens, holly, winter-berry, pinecones, ornaments, bows and Irish laugh-ter. For those who prefer more permanent décor, there will also be a wide range of festive artificial wreaths & swags available. A new addition this year will be bags of Irish peat – yes - that is right – you too can have your own traditional Christmas turf fire and fill your home with the unmistakably distinctive aroma of Ireland. Perfect for gift giving! You can pre-order any item from Eileen through Wednesday, December. 2nd and your order will be proudly tagged with your name in large letters and ready for pick up at Christmas Shopping Day on December 6th! All Pre-Orders MUST be paid in advance (check or cash accepted). Please support this very festive fundraiser!! REMEMBER: ALL PROCEEDS GO TO OUR CLUB!! If you already have a wreath – please consider buying one for your neighbor! Please con-tact Eileen at (860-550-3732) or [email protected].
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING DAY Join us on Sunday, December 6th for our annual Christmas Shopping Day. We begin the day with a traditional Irish Breakfast served downstairs from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. For those on the go, break-fast sandwiches will also be available. The doors open for shopping at 10:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. with a variety of unique Irish and holiday goods…along with crafts, etc. Lunch will be served from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. Visit the Club Booth where we will be selling all your favorite Irish foods including holiday candy and cookies. We also have club ap-parel available for order. The Club will also have holiday wreaths, swags, table centerpieces, etc., for sale. It’s a great way to kick off the holiday season! Hope to see you there!
GOT AN UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER? Come show it off to your fellow members on Friday, December 18th in our pub and join our UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER CONTEST! Yup…we’ll actually give you a prize for that moth eaten, embar-rassment of a garment you dig up year after year to don on Christmas Day! The judging starts at 9:00 p.m. sharp…and if it’s anything like last year…the competition will be fierce! If you don’t own one…go get one! It’s really that much fun!
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS
Membership renewals will be available at the club every Friday evening in December! In an effort to save on postage, our Membership Secretaries will be on hand to assist you in renewing your membership for 2016. Single renewals are $70.00 and married couples are $110.00. Membership renewals make the perfect Christmas gift…please contact Kathy Saimininkas or Kelley McElroy to make arrange-ments. Any renewals that are not picked up will be mailed in early January. Membership dues must be paid in full by March 31, 2016 in order to remain a member in good standing.
WE’RE LOOKING FOR A FEW VOLUNTEERS…
The Events Committee is looking for a few volunteers to assist with the take down and clean-up of Christ-mas Shopping Day, Sunday, December 6th. This task shouldn’t take more than a few hours…it may involve moving some tables…stacking some chairs…among other things. Please contact Ann Purcell-Murray at (860)690-0687 or [email protected].
Bloody Sunday Mass – Please Note Change of Date
The Hartford Unit of Irish Northern Aid will hold its annual Bloody Sunday Mass on Sunday, January 24,
2016 at 11:00 a.m. in the Upstairs Hall of the Irish American Home Society. A pancake breakfast will
immediately follow. Since 1970, the Irish Northern Aid Committee has been at the forefront in support of the
struggle for free-dom. All are invited to attend. For more information, please contact Tom McBride at
(860)983-0846.
HOLIDAY HOURS
Please note these special holiday hours:
Thursday, December 24th – Christmas
Eve: 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Friday, December 25
th -Christmas Day –
Closed Thursday, December 31
st – New Year’s
Eve – 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday, January 1, 2016 – opening at 2:00
p.m.
Hartford GAA presents…
AN IRISH NEW YEAR’S EVE FAMILY CELEBRATION
Come ring in the New Year on Irish Time! This is a family fun event featuring a DJ, games and refreshments from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 31st, in the Upstairs Hall. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Bring a dessert to share for the Dessert Table. First come, first served for tables. The cost is $7.00 for kids and $10 for adults. Families of 4 or more $30.00. For more information, please contact Stephen Miskell (860)478-2052 or [email protected].
SPEND NEW YEAR’S DAY WITH US!
On Friday, January 1, 2016, the club will open our doors at 2:00 p.m. so our members can enjoy the afternoon and evening at your club! Traditionally, the club has been closed on New Year’s Day. But we thought…why not? It’s a Friday…it’s a long weekend…why not open the doors and start the New Year with family and friends at the club! We will be offering a spa-ghetti and meatball special, served with salad and bread (regular Pub Grub will be not be offered), $9 for adults and $7 for kids 12 and under, from 5 to 7 p.m. For your listening and dancing pleasure, club favorite Dually Noted will start at 7:00 p.m. For some of us, New Year’s Eve has lost it’s lus-ter…so save yourself for January 1st! Hope to see you there!
2016 St. Patrick ‘s Day Parade Book Application forms and levels of sponsorship available online @ www.irishamericanparade.com under the fund-raiser tab photos can be included in your mes-sage if desired but must be submitted electron-ically noting such with your mailed payment. PDF documents and electronic ads are pre-ferred and can be sent with photos to: [email protected] If you wish to be included in the 2016 Parade Book return this form and mail with your check payable to The 5 C’s or Central Connecticut Celtic Cultural Committee by February 22, 2016 to the following address.
CCCCC Erin M. Conneely
88 Cumberland Road West Hartford, CT 06119-1013
West Hartford Parade Fundraiser When: 7 p.m. Saturday, January 30, 2016 Where: West Hartford Town Hall, 50 South Main Street. Details: This year West Hartford is happy to be honoring two very special people our Marshal, Colleen Kissane and Honoree, Dr. Brendan Fox. The New York Show Band will be providing the nights entertainment. For tickets /tables please contact John Staunton at: 860-676-3089 or Kathleen Staunton at 860-888-4247
BUSINESS NETWORKING GROUP Join us on December 15th for our next “Business Tues-days” (third Tuesday of the month) from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. in the downstairs lounge. December is our holiday event as a “Blarney-Swap” (a/k/a Yankee Swap). Please bring a $20 value gift of your choice to swap (preferably relat-ed to your business). This is a free monthly event open to all members who would like to meet and network with other business owners and professionals to help grow your business or profession. As our attendance grows, we will also be establishing a listing of businesses and services owned or operated by members of our club. Food is sponsored by Enda Flynn of Flynn's Grille. Please bring a few bucks to donate for the food, and enjoy the camaraderie with a pint or two! So mark your calendars for a special holiday event on December 15th! Call fellow member Ed Patterson to register at (860)215- 1349 or [email protected].
Need a gift for that person who has
everything? We’ve got the solution! Buy an Irish American Home Society gift certificate! One size fits all! It’s the perfect gift for all ages! Gift certificates can be used in the pub, to purchase Irish goods and club apparel, and at Pub Grub on Friday evenings! They come in $25 and $50 increments and have no expiration date! Please see your bartender to purchase!
WINTER STORM CLOSING INFORMATION The winter season is upon us and with that brings the eventuality of ice, snow and wintry mix. The Irish Ameri-can Home Society will do its best to remain open during inclement weather but will close if conditions warrant. Closing information may be found on our website and the following TV stations: WFSB Channel 3, WVIT Channel 30 and WTNH Channel 8. We ask that you refrain from parking in our lot during snow storms so that snow re-moval may be done as quickly and completely as possi-ble. If we need a plow to return to re-plow where a car sat during a storm, we pay additional snow removal costs. Thank you!!
The Ancient Order of Hibernians Division #2 and Ladies AOH meets on the first Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Downstairs Lounge. The AOH is an Irish Catholic organization that promotes and encourages participation in our religion, charity and Irish culture, following the motto, “In Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity”. For more information contact Jamie Forzono at (860)604-3021.
SUNDAY FUNDAY!
Join your friends at the IAHS for Sunday football with the NFL TICKET! That’s right…we have THE TICKET and will be offering a weekly lunch special served from 1 to 4 p.m. every Sunday afternoon! So stop by for some great football, great food and great craic! Watch the website and Facebook for notice of the specials and we’ll be posting them inside the club! Please note there will be no Sunday Funday on December 20th.
WEEKLY CARD GAME
Enjoy playing cards? Every Thursday evening at 7 p.m. in the downstairs lounge, members and guests are invited to join in a friendly game of Setback.
GET WELL WISHES:
Miko Connolly
HONOR GUARD It is this Society’s tradition to honor our de-
ceased members by the presence of an Honor Guard at the funeral service and interment. While we have sever-al dedicated members who faithfully participate in this tradition, we would like to ensure a full complement at each service. If you are interested in participating when the need arises, please contact Charlie Murray at (860)633-0663 or Kathleen Blake (860)633-0587. The Honor Guard will participate in the funeral services for all members when the member has previously request-ed or the family requests our services. If you would like to have an Honor Guard at a member’s funeral, please call Charlie or Kathleen to advise them of the arrangements.
IRISH SET DANCE CLASSES
Traditional Irish country set dancing classes are held in the upstairs hall on Wednesday evenings (except the fourth Wednesday of each month). This is a cultural function of the Irish American Home Society and there is no charge. The only requirements are hard-soled shoes and a little stamina! Classes begin at 7:00 p.m. For more information, please call John Droney (860)521-2696.
Memorial Funds Please consider naming one of two funds the IAHS has established over the years to receive memorial dona-tions upon your death. Both funds are intended to me-morialize our deceased loved ones while benefiting our members . The first is our Scholarship Fund which was established to grant educational scholarships to the children of members in good standing. Scholarships are awarded in June of each year. The second fund is our Building Renovation Fund, established to help fund the proposed new building and renovation of the exist-ing building.
IRISH NORTHERN AID
The Hartford Unit of Irish Northern Aid meets the 3rd Friday of every month at 8:30p.m. in the downstairs hall of the Irish American Home. Since 1970, the Irish Northern Aid Committee has been at the forefront in support of the struggle for freedom, justice, and self-determination for all the people of Ireland. For more information, please contact Tom McBride (860)983-0846. Newsletter deadline is the 15th of the month for inclusion in the next month’s edition. Send contributions, in WORD FORMAT, to [email protected].
Seisiun Every 1st and 3rd Sundays Live traditional Irish music continues on the first and third Sundays of each month at the Irish American Home Society, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Come join the singers and musicians at this open seisiun. Listen or play along with the lively jigs and reels…sing a song if you are so inclined…or simply relax and enjoy the music of Ireland. A slow music seisiun is held on the third Sunday from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This is an opportunity to learn Irish music. For more information, contact Liz Raymond (860)346-3235.
If you know of any member who is ill, in the hospital or has passed away, please contact Margaret Moriarty (860)563-0804 or [email protected] so that an appro-priate remembrance may be sent on behalf of the membership. If you have good news to share, i.e. birth, graduation, etc., please send the information to [email protected].
HALL RENTALS Our Upstairs and Downstairs Halls are available to rent for parties and gatherings. Contact Dan O’Connell for available dates and rates (860)633-9691.
